SECRET HIGHS
Five great mountain rides you’ve hopefully never heard of. Shhhh!
RIDES20 mbr MARCH 2018
CROOK PEAK, MENDIP HILLS
12.5km (8 miles)
This is an easy ride that takes you to one hell of a viewpoint, and the
drop off of it is fun in loads of places too. The trail actually skips around
the summit but a detour is definitely worth it, even if it’s just to watch
the traffic on the M5. The best start is Kings Wood (Landranger 182/
ST421560) and from there take the main track west onto Wavering
Down and then down then up to flank Crook Peak to the R. This is the
time to push up to the top. The BW then descends with a sweet little
switchback section to the road. Turn L, cross the motorway and head N
through Loxton and off-road up Loxton Hill. At Upper Canada, head E to
cross the M5 again, now use lanes to cross the levels and climb back up
to Kings Wood.
GPS download po.st/CrookPeak
Ride time 2 hours
Why ride it? It’s Mendips, Jim, but not as we know it, and a great summit
Where to eat? The Crown at Churchill. It’s a short drive but so worth itROSEBERRY TOPPING, NORTH YORK MOORS
15km (9.5 miles)
OK, it’s stretching it a bit to find solitude on Roseberry Topping. But it’s
the nearest thing in these parts to a mountain, and the route actually
skirts around the summit anyway, leaving you with an optional clamber
to the top (the very last section isn’t a right-of-way for a bike, but you’ll
be walking by then anyway). Follow BWs SE From Hutton Gate Visitors’
Centre (Landranger 93/NZ584154), and loop around Hutton Village
before heading NE to gain a BW that leads SE to Sleddale. Continue
SW to the road then NW to the forest edge and head W onto Roseberry
Common. Climb the mountain (or as high as you fancy) and then take
the BW NW to wind back through the wood to finish — watch for a
singletrack on your L.
GPS download po.st/RoseberryTopping
Ride time 2-3 hours
Why ride it? Most airy spot on the moors and a great viewpoint
Where to eat? Royal Oak, Great Ayton
Roseberry Topping:
keep it to yourself